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Luka entered through the big doors of the familiar house and kicked off his black sneakers. He threw the two plastic bags he was carrying on the kitchen counter and turned on the stove. He found a small metal pot and put it on medium fire and let it boil slowly. He unpacked the bag and put its containing on the counter. There was a lot of vegetables and one bagged soup. Luka saw the water boil from the corner of his eye and pour the soup into the water. While that was cooking, he also cut all of the vegetables he bought and started a search for another pot.
He finally found one in the highest shelf for which he had to climb on the kitchen counter to reach. This pot was bigger, and Luka put water in it too. He turned on the electric part of the big black stove and put the pot on it. He stirred the soup in the smaller pot and when it was finished, he poured it into a small glass bowl. He let it rest on the kitchen island while he was checking how the vegetables were doing.
He saw it was almost done so he started picking up all of the leftovers of his preparation of the food and throwing in the big trash can next to the island. He collected all of the wrappers and the plastic bags and threw them away too. At that point the vegetables were done, and Luka turned off the stove. He bent down to find strainer and placed it into the sink. He poured the vegetables together with the boiled water into it and waited a bit to let it cool down. After a few minutes he got another one of those small glass bowls and filled it to the top with cooked soft vegetables.
He set it on the island next to the soup which was now a perfect temperature for eating and went to the big bathroom close to the kitchen where he threw all of his sweaty clothes into laundry basket and sprinkled his face with a few drops of the ice-cold water. He walked out of the bathroom and went straight to the big living room. He looked around it to find some clothes but there were none and Luka was getting cold. He opened the big drawer next to the couch and dug through cardigans and shirts just to find a big Adidas sweatshirt with a zipper. Luka put it one at it was probably three sizes too big, but he was not cold, and it was almost to his knees, so he felt comfortable.
He picked up a spoon and a fork from one of the lower shelves and finally picked up the food he made before. He carefully carried it upstairs trying not to spill anything or drop a fork on the way. He made it to the top of the staircase with both, spoon and fork still in his hand and both bowls entirely fine.
He walked slowly to the room on the end of the hallway and pushed the doors and walked into the dimmed room and put the bowls on the small night table next to the bed. He saw a lot of used tissues laying on the floor and few of the still unused packets on the night table. Luka left the room quietly and went back to the kitchen to get a glass. He poured some water in it and only one cube of ice and went upstairs again.
He entered the room once again, this time even quieter than the first time, but as he left the glass on the night table, he heard muffled voice coming from the bed. Luka tried to ignore the needy voice, but the voice started whining his name and Luka had to give in. He turned on the small light on the wall next to the head of the bed and sat down on the bed.
He saw a puffy-nosed Sergio turn around in the bed and look at Luka while trying to fight a smile on his face. “You made it.” Luka tilted his head and made a kind but ironic face expression, “When did I ever not make it?”. Sergio lowered his head and sneezed once and then started coughing. He lifted himself up from the horizontal position he was in and now was half sitting.
Luka stood up and picked up the bowl of soup and the spoon from the table and tried to give it to Sergio. Sergio looked at Luka and slowly said: “I really don’t have any power in me to eat that.” Luka frowned at what was Sergio insinuating and he climbed on the bed again. This time he was closer to Sergio. Luka felt Sergio’s heat how close they were sitting. “I will feed you this, if you promise me you’ll eat the vegetables alone.” Sergio almost started whining and complaining, but he was happy he could get at least something. Luka held the small bowl with soup which was now getting cold and placed the spoon inside.
Sergio was observing Luka while Luka was trying to feed him the soup he made. Sergio slowly swallowed the soup Luka gave him, it still had a little bit of warmness, so it comforted his sour throat. He opened his mouth and signaled Luka he wants more. “You really are like a child.”. Luka poured more soup into Sergio’s mouth and he loved the taste. “Would you like some vegetables now?” Sergio nodded negative, but Luka moved away from Sergio and put down the soup bowl and lifted the vegetables and the fork. “Here you go.” Sergio didn’t want to take the bowl and eat alone, but Luka didn’t give in this time.
“I don’t care Sergio. You have to eat it and if you want a dessert later you’ll have to eat it alone.” Sergio frowned, but took the bowl because he knew how good of a baker Luka was and he was thriving for some cupcakes. Luka softly smiled as he was watching Sergio eat his vegetables, he knew he didn’t enjoy it too much, but it was good for him. “You could’ve bought some meat with this.” Luka sighed and rolled his eyes. “You barely ate anything in these past two, your stomach would go crazy.” Sergio frowned and continued eating his vegetables.
Luka stood up from the bed and stepped on the creaking floor. He wanted to go downstairs to make some tea for Sergio, but as Luka straightened up Sergio noticed the big sweatshirt hang on Luka’s small body and the big sleeves going over his palms and fingers. Sergio smiled while chewing one of the last pieces of the vegetables. “Why do you always steal my clothes?” Luka turned around and grimaced a surprised face but with a small grin. Sergio ate the last piece of the vegetables and stretched his hand out to give the bowl to Luka. Luka picked the soup from the table and took the empty bowl from Sergio’s hands and went down to put it in the dishwasher. He heard muffled cries of his name as he was going down the stairs and couldn’t help but smile.
He pulled open the dishwasher and carefully put the bowls inside together with the used spoon and fork. He found a clean mug and placed one of the teabags in and waited for water to boil. While he was waiting, he went to the living room and turned on the TV and blasted some music on it. He was dancing quietly to it. He finally remembered he didn’t text anyone about the next day training. He went to the hallway where he placed his jacked and searched for his phone which he finally found in one of the inner pockets. He pulled out his texts and wrote a new one into the WhatsApp group. “I will be late to the training tomorrow, not sure if Sergio will come.” He pressed send and put his phone into one of the pockets of Sergio’s sweatshirt hanging on him.
The water was done so he poured it into the mug with the tea in. He waited a bit and then pulled out the bag. He put some honey in it and squeezed some lemon and went upstairs again. Sergio smiled brightly when Luka finally returned to his room. Luka came to Sergio’s side of the bed this time and pushed the mug into his hands. “Here you go, I expect you to drink this now.” Sergio obediently took the mug and sipped the hot tea quietly. Luka heard his phone and he took it out of the sweatshirt. He chuckled and placed his hand on his forehead in small discomfort. “What?” Sergio nodded towards the phone. Luka sat down on the edge of the bed, his back touching Sergio’s bent knee. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll come.” Sergio started laughing out loud at the read message. “Is that Marcelo? Yes of course it is.” Luka wanted to put his phone away, but another message arrived. “Thank God we won’t see that” “We’ve seen too much on the trainings already.” Those messages were from Keylor and Isco which made Luka smile again.
Sergio looked at Luka and softly started speaking: “Don’t worry. Marcelo wouldn’t tell anyone, and they are just joking around.” Luka nodded unsurely and as he wanted to say something Sergio cut him off once again: “We are obvious to be honest.” Luka smiled carefully and pushed the phone in the pocket again.
Sergio drank the last bit of his tea and pushed the mug into Luka’s hands again. Luka took the mug and stood up from the bed again. He started walking away, but Sergio took him by his wrist and Luka turned around. “Don’t go downstairs again.” Luka smiled, but wanted to walk away again. Sergio wasn’t letting go of his hand and Luka placed down the mug to use his, now free, hand to remove Sergio’s from his wrist. But as he placed the mug down, he felt a small force pull him towards the bed and in no time, he was laying on the big bed on the soft sheets under him. “Sergio I’ve got to go clean up.” Sergio pulled him even closer and placed a small and quick kiss on his nose.
Luka’s eyes softly creased, and he smiled at Sergio now laying with his arms open just waiting for Luka to sink into his embrace. Luka sat there observing the situation questioning should he give in and just let Sergio spoon him for some time or go and clean up the rest of the kitchen. Sergio was fed up with waiting for Luka to decide so he wrapped his arms around Luka’s small waist and pulled him forward. Their faces were inches away and Sergio wanted to sneak in a kiss, but Luka loved to tease so he turned around and sank into Sergio’s hug before Sergio could do anything.
Luka took Sergio’s hand which was wrapped over him and started playing with his tattooed fingers observing his tattoos and long fingers. Sergio buried his head into Luka’s neck, and he loved how Luka smelled like him as a consequence of him wearing Sergio’s clothes. He felt the need to pull Luka even closer to him, which made Luka giggle and entangle their legs together. “Sometimes I wish we could stay like this forever.” Sergio whispered into Luka’s neck which made Luka smile shyly.
Sergio turned Luka around and kissed him fully on the lips, trying to gain access through his teeth. But Luka wasn’t opening his mouth, because he knew it wouldn’t be just a make out session, and he needed to go clean. And make a dessert. He finally remembered he brought stuff to make cupcakes and he struggled out of Sergio’s hug and prompted himself on his elbows. “I need to go clean the kitchen. And I need to make you a dessert, I wanted to make you cupcakes.”
Sergio smacked his lips and pulled Luka back to his arms. He started unzipping his sweatshirt and pulling it down Luka’s fragile body. “I think I have my dessert right in front of me.”